In the copending International patent application PCT/AU89/00402, there is disclosed a probe adapted for use as a clinical measuring instrument or gauge. This probe comprises a needle member, an upper end of which is mounted in a head, and a handle attached to the head by a resiliently deformable member, said head and said handle each having a mark thereon which when no force is exerted on the needle member are out of alignment but when a selected force is applied, will be aligned.
The probe disclosed therein is said, inter alia, to be useful in determining periodontal pocket depths, degree of gum recession, level of tooth attachment and other oral clinical criteria. It is also said to be useful in the determination of the health of tissue other than those of the oral cavity.
In all cases, the probe of the aforementioned invention has as an essential feature, a needle member which is applied to tissues at an accurate, predetermined and reproducible force. The present inventor has found that the needle member and disposable head described therein have particular advantage whilst being used to measure clinical criteria referred to at a particular force. This attachment quickly, simply and readily allows the operator to measure many features and detect the presence or absence of infection, inflammation or disease present in that tissue by inducing a bleeding reaction from that tissue. For example, if the tissue bleeds in response to say a 0.5 mm probe at say 20 g force, then there is disease, infection or inflammation present in that tissue.
However, once the operator has identified or determined that disease or infection is present, it is useful to be able to quantify the degree, identify the type and determine the severity of the disease process. Without this information, the mere recognition of disease becomes less meaningful. It therefore follows that an operator should be able to investigate, sample or treat the site so as to determine the extent and type of disease present.
The present inventor has realised that it would be of considerable advantage to be able to readily sample tissue or other material from such a site to permit analysis in a variety of ways which may include recognition, identification, diagnosis and confirmation.
Thus without detracting from the utility of this probe, the present inventor has found that the needle member of the probe may be specifically designed to provide a sampling means or be replaced by a variety of instruments that can be beneficially applied to a tissue or a tissue associated material preferably at an accurate, predetermined and reproducible force. These instruments include a series of attachments which allow such sampling and other procedures to be executed with expedience, convenience and economy.